


Loving Alexander

by ClassiqueMystique



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: (off screen though), Alpha Derek, Bad Alpha Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Bad Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Derek Hale Loves Stiles Stilinski, Derek Will Give Stiles that Hug, Except he doesn't realize he's magical, I don't really like Scott, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Mpreg, Not Canon Compliant, Post Mpreg, Pregnant Stiles Stilinski, Protective Derek, Sorry Not Sorry, Stiles Stilinski Needs a Hug, Theo is a Little Shit, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:15:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23506723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassiqueMystique/pseuds/ClassiqueMystique
Summary: Stiles gives birth to the most beautiful baby boy. But he has no mate, no pack, and his baby has no father.Enter Derek Hale.(Or Derek steps up to be everything that Stiles and his baby needs. Theo Raeken can suck it.)
Relationships: (Theo/Stiles past), Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Theo Raeken/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 42
Kudos: 1404





	1. Chapter 1

A small shrill woke Stiles from his light slumber. The noise itself wasn’t loud per se, but compared to the dead silence of night, the sound could be held akin to the wails of a newly risen banshee. No offense intended to the resident banshee in Beacon Hills. Actually wait… the bitch hadn't spoken to him for months so yes _all_ offense intended. Rising carefully to avoid pulling the stitches in his abdomen, Stiles shuffled over to the tiny bassinet near his bed. Staring up at him, even with his tiny face scrunched up and tears wetting his plump cheeks, was the most beautiful baby boy that Stiles had ever seen. Alexander, his precious baby boy.

Alex had been the ultimate surprise of all surprises in Stiles life. Like literally, this kid took the cake, the cake stand, the candles, and all the party plates. Discovering that werewolves, witches, banshees, druids, kanimas and evil spirit demons existed paled in comparison to 18 yr. old Stiles finding out that not only had his first sexual experience been with a werewolf during his 2nd week in college, but that he was a carrier and could then become pregnant with said werewolf’s baby.

And said werewolf was a dick. The biggest dick of all dicks. _He probably had to be one to make up for what he lacked_. When Stiles mustered up the courage to tell Theo about his pregnancy, the werewolf laughed and said the baby was Stiles' problem. He didn’t even care that Stiles looked paler than normal and smelled like the remnants of the breakfast he puked up earlier. _“Keep it, kill it, do whatever you want. Just don’t expect me to help you raise it or pay for it.”_ Theo had been particularly cruel when he added that he would make Stiles' life a living hell if he blabbed to anyone that Theo had fucked him. _You’re not on my level, Stilinski. You’re not even in my league._ Stiles remembered ugly crying for hours after that interaction with Theo, with only tissues and a carton of Edy's French Silk ice cream to soothe him. He couldn’t even call Scott—the werewolf never had the time for him after the Nogitsune incident. And the others in Scott’s pack followed suit, with no one reaching out to Stiles over the last couple of months. The only werewolf who stayed in touch was actually the one Stiles thought disliked him the most.

Derek.

In fact, the elusive Hale was actually more present in Stiles' life and less…well...elusive. He was the only one, besides Sheriff Stilinski, to wish Stiles well when he first went off to college in the next town over. They also developed a weird type of friendship while Stiles was gone where they would text each other every day and speak on the phone on weekends. The conversations were never lengthy on Derek’s part but the fact that he even _tried_ to hold conversations made the teenager feel special. And Stiles could tell that the older man was just content to hear him ramble on most days. So, when Stiles returned home abruptly during the semester after switching to all online classes, Derek was there, in his room, ready to receive him. He never pushed Stiles to explain why he came back so suddenly, or why he seemed so sad and lost. Derek just offered his friendship and semi-awkward embraces and let Stiles process everything at his own pace.

When Stiles was three months along, and they were seated on his couch watching a quite frankly lame horror movie, he told Derek that he was pregnant. Derek just placed a hand on his knee and said, “ _I know.”_ At Stiles’ inquisitive look, Derek had smirked and tapped his nose. Stiles had muttered “ _fucking werewolves,”_ even as he cuddled closer to the older man. He blamed his need for Derek’s proximity on his _maybe_ werewolf child needing to, _maybe_ , be closer to a fellow wolf. Nothing more.

When Stiles was four months along, he finally told Derek about Theo. He told him of how they met at a frat party where Stiles thought he was going to pledge, and how Theo was the typical college jock who made Stiles feel special for one night. He told Derek how Theo had laughed in his face when Stiles thought that they were in a relationship—how Theo didn’t care that he took Stiles' virginity. He recounted all of the terrible things that Theo had said to him. Derek had shifted into his beta form and vowed to kill Theo that night. Stiles had shrugged and said that while the thought was appreciated, he didn’t want to visit Derek behind bars. Especially the wolfsbane infused bars that the Sheriff had installed soon after he found out that werewolves were real.

When Stiles was six months pregnant, he and his father went to Stiles' first ultrasound. John had been super disappointed in Stiles when his son first broke the news. Yet, when Stiles vowed that he would take care of his baby and finish school no matter what, John couldn’t have been more proud of his son. Of course he would do all he could to help his son and grandchild, but Stiles' determination was awe inspiring. Stiles was the greatest kid that John could have ever hoped for, and his future grandchild was going to be so lucky. Lucky to not only have Stiles for a dad, but for a certain Alpha werewolf friend who always seemed to be close by. Not that they thought the Sheriff noticed…

When Stiles was seven months pregnant, Derek had been over one night to keep him company. His eyes tracked Stiles' every movement as the teen waddled around his room, gathering his notes for an upcoming online quiz. Derek had been lounging on Stiles’ bed, thumbing through a well read copy of _Werewolves: An A-Z Encyclopedia,_ when something had slipped free from one of the pages. It was a sonogram photo. Stiles had noticed Derek’s gentle handling of the photo and how enraptured he seemed by the image of the baby who was pictured sucking his thumb. _“He’s beautiful,”_ Derek had whispered. Stiles had smiled at the Alpha, waddling over to Derek and placing one of the Alpha’s hands on his growing mound. The baby had kicked in response.

At eight months pregnant, Derek had convinced Stiles to come over to his loft for a change of scenery. It wasn’t intentional or anything—Stiles had preferred to remain home the last few months unless he had errands to run. Plus he’d read in his “What to Expect When Expecting” book that nesting was perfectly normal. But he didn’t complain when Derek made the suggestion, in fact he felt honored that the Alpha wanted him in his space. What Stiles didn’t know, was that Derek had planned a small baby shower for Stiles, with Stiles' dad and Derek’s pack in attendance. Stiles remembered how quickly tears had sprung to his eyes when he saw not only the decorations and the presents, but the insanely happy faces of Erica, Isaac and Boyd looking at him. Stiles thought they didn’t like him. _“You’re an idiot Stiles. Of course we like you. You’re pack”_ Erica had told him as she hugged him and scented him. Isaac and Boyd had done the same, and even Peter who was there had pulled Stiles into a warm hug. “ _You'll always be my favorite,”_ said Peter. Derek had looked sheepish when Stiles shot him a confused look after everyone’s warm welcome of him. “ _I didn’t want my pack to overwhelm you, so I told them to hold off.”_ Stiles had playfully flicked Derek’s ear and reminded the Alpha that he was capable of making his own decisions. Derek just agreed and rubbed his nose along Stiles' neck. He knew better than to argue with a pregnant person.

Scott however, did **not** know that. Almost a year of not talking to him and one morning Scott had pranced his way into Stiles’ bedroom unannounced, under the claim that he needed research help because Lydia was out of town. The True Alpha clearly wasn’t expecting to see his former friend heavily pregnant and snoozing under the protective gaze of Derek Hale. Scott’s shouting at Derek is what woke Stiles from his slumber. Immediately he had reached a hand out to Derek who had helped him sit up on his bed. A warm hand settled on Stiles’ lower back and the pregnant teen sagged in relief once the pain there had ebbed. _‘What the hell is Hale doing in your bedroom, Stiles? And when did you get so...fat?”_

_Derek growled and was about to snarl out a scathing response when Stiles placed the Alpha Hale’s hand on his belly. Derek always seemed to calm down when he felt the baby. Stiles instead, had turned to Scott and replied unimpressed: “I’m nine months pregnant Scott. You would know that if we were still friends.”_

_Scott frowned. “Pregnant? How is that possible? Better yet, why would you let someone do that to you? And what do you mean? We’re still friends Stiles. You’re the one that distanced yourself from everyone in our pack.” Scott then took in the image in front of him. “Wait, did you let Derek get you pregnant? How could you do that to me Stiles? Sleeping with the enemy?”_

_Stiles closed his eyes and breathed as calmly though his nose as he could. “Scott, I really can’t handle your idiocy right now. In fact, I have no idea why you’re here. I’ve been doing so well in my new pack and without you in my life. Please leave.”_

_Scott scoffed and stepped closer. In that instant Derek was off the bed and in Scott's face. He was a hair’s breadth away from shifting and clawing the holy hell out of Scott. “Stiles just told you to leave. I would do so while you still physically can,” said Derek. His words came out slightly slurred around the fangs he was sporting. Stiles took in the scene before him with a pained expression. With Derek’s hands no longer on him, his back pain had returned and was exponentially worse. The baby was also moving around a lot which was something he rarely did._

_“You’re a freak Hale,” Scott spat. “You lost your family so you think you can just make another one? And with the most helpless human around? Stiles can’t even take care of himself-- isn’t fit to handle life without a supply of meds around. You thought getting him pregnant was a smart thing to do? You probably forced yourself on him…yeah…yeah that seems like something you’d do—” said Scott before he had a hearty face full of Hale knuckle sandwich. The force of the punch had Scott falling backwards into Stiles’ desk. Before Derek could launch a full-scale attack, Scott’s body was levitating in the air. “I said LEAVE,” Stiles shouted, using an unknown force to propel Scott out of his bedroom through the open window._

_Stupefied at what just happened, Derek turned to Stiles to inquire when he took in the teen’s pained expression. It was clear that Stiles himself didn’t know what the hell he had just done or how, but something more pressing was happening. “Derek,” he moaned, clutching his abdomen. The Alpha was by his side before he could blink, thick black veins crawling up his arm in waves. Derek cursed. “It’s time.”_

_Stiles panicked. “No, it can’t be. I still have two weeks left! And my water didn’t break,” he panted._

_Derek grabbed his premade baby bag out of Stiles’ closet and slung it over his shoulder. He picked up the teen next and hurried him down the stairs. “You and I both know that the pup is fully grown and male deliveries are rarely preluded by the natural breaking of the pregnant man’s water.”_

_Stiles huffed and nuzzled deeper into Derek’s hold as they made their way to the alpha's Camaro. “Derek, I’m scared,” he whispered._

_Derek kissed his forehead. “You’re the strongest, bravest person I know. You’ll do great Stiles, and I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Stiles frowned, his question of “why" on the tip of his tongue when a contraction hit, bringing his focus back to the fact that he was getting ready to birth a baby. Derek held onto his knee to help syphon the pain, while driving like hell itself was chasing them to the hospital. Luckily Derek had the foresight to call the Sheriff and brief him on the situation. It certainly helped that the police cruisers that showed up were there to aid in their arrival to the hospital, and not in a high speed chase capacity to the Sheriff’s department._

_Alexander Genim Stilinski was born on Monday, June 23 rd 2014, at 11:21am via cesarean section. He was 6lbs 9 oz. and 18 inches long. An ecstatic grandfather and restless Alpha who refused to leave the operating room regardless of the fact that he was not family, hospital rules be damned, were the first to see Alex take his first breath in this world. Stiles though, was the first to shed a tear when his newborn son was placed so delicately on his chest. _

That was three weeks ago. Now Stiles was trying to get the hang of being a parent, especially during these odd times in twilight hours of the morning when Alex decided to test out the power of his lungs. Stiles gingerly picked his baby up, checking him over to see what the source of his displeasure was. He had just fed him an hour ago, so he couldn’t be hungry. He took a peek into the back of his diaper. Dry. He tried to give Alex his binky, but it slipped from his mouth several times in vain. Stiles cooed softly to Alex and tried bouncing him gently, but nothing worked. If Alex kept this up, then he might accidentally wake grandpa which is something Stiles did **not** want to happen. His dad looked overly tired this week. John picked up a few extra shifts to make sure that Stiles and Alex had everything they needed. Stiles didn’t want to repay his father’s kindness by waking him up so soon after he’d come home.

A sudden thought came to the teen to check his baby’s temperature when a soft thump sounded behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know that it was Derek. “Everything okay?”

“Let me guess, you just happened to be in the neighborhood?” Stiles walked over to Derek with a small smile on his face. Derek just shrugged but he didn’t hide the growing smile on his face. Stiles blushed slightly and glanced down at Alex. “He seems overly fussy tonight. Was just about to check his temperature when you arrived.” He glanced around his room. “I’m not sure where I put the thermometer though.”

“You don’t need it,” said Derek. He stepped closer and held his arms out. “May I?”

Stiles hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Derek. He trusted Derek with his life. But Alex was so small and fragile and Derek was a big, strong Alpha….

“Stiles,” the Alpha whispered, “I’ll be gentle with him. I promise.”

After a moment longer, Stiles nodded and eased Alex into Derek’s waiting arms. The Alpha cooed to Alex and wiped at the baby’s tears with a gentle thumb. It was like magic happened. From the moment they came into contact, Alex stopped fussing. Instead, he looked up at Derek quietly. No crying. Not even a whimper.

“Really?” exclaimed Stiles. “You stop for Derek, but not for me?” Stiles huffed but Derek could tell it was feigned. “Jealousy aside, that’s a pretty impressive trick you have there Derek. We can add ‘great with kids’ onto your supernatural resume.”

Derek chuckled. “Actually, I kind of knew this reaction would happen. I suspected it for a long time, but now this confirms it.”

Stiles sighed. “Now I’m lost. What are you talking about?”

“Just watch,” said the Alpha as he flashed red eyes down at Alex. Yellow eyes flashed back in response.

Stiles gasped. “Holy hacking hurricanes! How is this possible? I mean I had suspected that this could be a possibility but..wait…is this why he always seemed to settle down when he was kicking the heck out of my insides? Because he was responding to you?”

Derek shrugged again. “When you told me who his father was, I guessed that Alex would be a wolf. It’s a 50/50 chance really. Born wolves need the presence of other wolves around, especially an Alpha. Even though he’s young, Alex needs to be grounded. Even born pups can become omegas.”

Derek held the baby for a little while longer, scenting him, before finally placing him in his bassinet once he’d fallen asleep. Stiles watched the encounter from his bed, pondering the scene before him and the man who had come to be such a vital part of his life. Once Alex was down, Derek toed off his shoes and removed his pants before getting into Stiles’ bed in just a shirt, socks and boxers. He didn’t ask and Stiles didn’t need to give permission. It was just a thing.

Stiles tried to find a good position to settle, hissing quietly when the wrong movement resulted in his stitches being pulled. Immediately Derek’s hand was on his abdomen, the pain vanishing as quickly as it arrived. Instead of saying thank you, Stiles asked the question he wanted to ask all those weeks ago. “Why?”

It took a moment for the alpha to respond. When he did, he did so looking deep into Stiles’ molten whiskey eyes. “Because I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I want to love and take care of you both until the day I die.”

Stiles sputtered a bit at the admission, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Derek…” He took a few deep breaths and tried to collect his thoughts. The man that he’d been in love with since he was 16 had just told him everything he’d wanted to hear. It was quite the experience, so pardon him if he wasn’t an automatic Casanova with his words. “Derek, I love you too. I’ve _been_ in love with you for years. But Alex…he isn’t yours. How can you…your _wolf you_ … love him if he isn’t yours?”

Even in the darkest of night, Derek’s smile could brighten a room as though the sun was out and shining. “I love him because he’s yours. My _wolf_ loves him because he is yours. But more than that, I’ve been with you and Alex almost since the moment he was conceived. I watched him grow inside of you. I was there for his birth. I couldn’t be apart from you both. My wolf is bonded to him, not only as his Alpha, but as…family.” Derek gingerly stroked Stiles’ cheek. “How you choose to define ‘family’ though is up to you, Stiles.”

The teen let out a shaky breath. He rested a hand over Derek’s heart. “When I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared. Scared that I was going to give birth to my baby alone. Raise him alone. I knew Theo wasn’t going to step up and be the father that Alex needs.” Derek growled at the sound of Theo's name but quieted down when Stiles rubbed at his heart. “As painful as it is to say, Theo Raeken is Alex's father. But…..but he isn’t Alex’s _dad_. A dad is a man who is there for every beautiful and ugly moment in their kid's life. They’re there to hold their child when he cries, give him soft kisses when he’s sick or fussy, change diapers, help him sleep at night. And when he gets older, a dad will kiss every boo boo and owie, teach them how to walk, talk, aim for the toilet seat, ride a bike, be kind to people, and help him grow into a respected, responsible man. I….I.”

Stiles’ throat closed then, just as he was going to ask Derek that fateful question. So Derek asked it instead. “I can’t be Alex's father, but if you approve, can I be his dad?”

Stiles surged forth, his lips finding Derek’s in a passionate kiss. “Yes.”

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I may turn this into a series of Sterek and Alex snapshots if there's interest. :)
> 
> Update (5/4/20):
> 
> Thank you all so much for all of the views, kudos, and comments. I am shocked and grateful that so many people like my little story! I am working on some additional stuff for this fic, beginning with a lengthy chapter from Derek's POV. I'll have that up and running very soon. Then after that I'll start posting drabble-style snapshots of our new favorite trio's lives. :)
> 
> -CM


	2. Derek's POV

Derek was madly in love with Stiles Stilinski.

He had been since he first met the pale, gangly-limbed teenager on his family’s land over three years ago. One look, one whiff of the teen’s unique scent, and Derek knew he was lost. There would be no others for him. His heart was firmly in a teenage boy’s hands. However, Derek had no plans to act on his feelings. Every time he thought of what it would feel like to have Stiles’ body pressed against his, the taste of the boy’s lips, the warmth of Stiles’ affections focused only on him, Derek shied away. He didn’t want to be like Kate, the evil bitch who took advantage of his emotions when he himself was a teenager. He didn’t want to become a predator like her. The cycle of pain and manipulation had to end somewhere.

So, Derek sacrificed his heart in order to do the right thing. He kept his feelings firmly under lock and key. He couldn’t keep away from Stiles physically though—his wolf wouldn’t let him. Derek stuck around, kept close to the hyperactive teen who tended to mouth off to all the wrong people but under the fiercest of intentions. He watched Stiles grow into his own skin and become a young man who was not only a loyal pack member, but was the bravest, most intelligent man Derek had ever met. It’s true that sometimes they didn’t always see eye to eye, and that he may have shoved Stiles into a wall or two years ago, but Derek would never have harmed Stiles seriously. He just needed the physical contact to pacify his wolf without giving his true feelings away. It didn’t help that he came off as a constipated jerk most of the time. It was quite a lot of strain to be under, being near the person who Derek and his wolf strongly desired but couldn’t be with in fear that history would be perversely repeating itself. Not to mention that said teen’s father was the town Sheriff…

Derek tried his best though, to make Stiles warm up to him. He was less stiff, less snarky, and he smiled more. Less shoving into walls and more shoulder squeezes and pats on the back. In the end, Derek’s plan worked and Stiles drifted closer to him. It was slow going at first, but when Scott started drifting away from Stiles after the Nogitsune incident, that helped to push Stiles straight into Derek’s orbit. Where Scott was cold and mistrustful, Derek was welcoming and loyal. He listened to Stiles and they talked more. They began to text each other often, beginning with simple messages regarding pack stuff that quickly escalated to just sharing random bits of information about each other. Stiles did most of the talking during their chats, but Derek chimed in on occasions. Derek shared his idea of opening his own business in town to Stiles, who became his biggest supporter and even gave him business ideas and marketing strategy tips. He eventually told Stiles bits about his past—his childhood before the fire. He told the teen about his feelings being an Alpha and how taxing it could be to be the leader of three bitten teenage wolves. Stiles was always supportive and never made Derek feel undervalued.

He made sure to be there to see Stiles off to college, along with Erica, Isaac, and Boyd. He could tell that the interactions between Stiles and his pack wasn’t where he’d like them to be, but the trio was keen on incorporating Stiles into their family. And after Scott’s rejection, Stiles was more than willing to be accepted into the group. The way his heart fluttered when Erica, Isaac, and Boyd hugged him and scented him was easily noticed by the Alpha. Derek was relieved to know that Stiles went off to college happy in the knowledge that he had a loving pack waiting at home for him back in Beacon Hills.

Then something happened. Something bad. Weeks had gone by and everything was normal—the communication between them remained constant. Then suddenly days had passed when Stiles hadn’t called or texted Derek. It drove the Alpha mad and he was endlessly tempted to drive down to Stiles’ college to find him and demand an explanation. Stiles called him before it got to that point, but he wasn’t his usually bubbly self. He was more reserved, withdrawn, and their conversation lasted only a few minutes in comparison to the hours they used to talk before. He told Derek that he’d changed his mind about brick and mortar colleges and that he’d prefer the freedom of online schooling so that he could return to Beacon Hills. Even through the phone Derek could hear the teen’s heartbeat— could hear the lie. But Derek didn’t question it. He just made sure that the moment Stiles did return home, he was there in his bedroom to welcome him with open arms. Arms that were full of a shaking teenager not a second later.

Derek knew soon after what caused the change in the young man. His scent had changed—it was sweeter, like a delicious mixture of oranges, daisies, and summer rain. He’d smelled that before…before the fire. Stiles was pregnant. That deeply surprised the wolf as it never crossed his mind that Stiles was a carrier. It excited and infuriated him simultaneously. His wolf buzzed at the idea that his boy could get pregnant. In the wolf’s mind, Stiles was a very worthy mate who could one day birth them pups of their own. But the idea that Stiles had been with someone who wasn’t Derek…he had to hold his wolf back. Had to keep himself from shifting and going on a murderous rampage.

Beginning with the fucker who got Stiles pupped up.

The fact that Stiles returned home and didn’t speak about dating anyone during his brief stint at college informed Derek that the baby’s father was most likely a college student who probably wanted nothing to do with Stiles or his baby. Stiles had confirmed Derek’s theory months later when Stiles had confirmed that not only was he pregnant, but that his baby’s father was, in Stiles’ own words, the “king of all dickheads.” Stiles told him about Theo Raeken, the resident hot jock who was the president of the campus fraternity that Stiles was going to pledge to. He hadn’t given Derek all of the details, but he told him that Theo was the charming type. Theo made it seem like he understood Stiles on a deeper level—in a way that no one else had. Theo even told Stiles that his rambling and flailing tendencies were cute. Derek remembered cringing at that, because he knew Stiles was particularly sensitive about his perception to others, especially his appearance and ADHD.

It made Derek hate this Theo prick even more. He seemed like the ultimate predator who targeted Stiles deliberately. Preyed on his insecurities in order to get his dick wet. And it worked. Poor Stiles. He could smell his pain. Derek knew the whole situation cut Stiles deep because he was a virgin, and in his mind he probably believed that he was giving his virginity to someone who could be trusted. And what happened instead? He was used, ridiculed, and abandoned with a baby on the way. Derek swore that at some point in time, maybe a month from now, maybe a year or two, he was going to hunt down and kill Theo. He told Stiles as much but Stiles, ever the gracious person, told him that he really didn’t want to visit him behind wolfsbane-infused bars. Derek had calmed down for the teen’s sake, but his mind was made up. Theo was going to get his. Maybe he could even persuade his uncle Peter to join in on the fun…

For now, Derek had the opportunity to once again revel in his proximity to Stiles. He made it his mission to help Stiles work through the anger and hurt that he was feeling towards Theo, by replacing those negative emotions with positive reinforcements. He made sure to always be available when Stiles needed him, even if it was just to sit in silence together. He also made sure to be a physical presence in Stiles’ space, without being too pushy or overwhelming. There were times when Derek would be there and Stiles would give off vibes that he wanted to be alone. Derek would always leave, no questions asked. He never wanted to push Stiles into anything. But then there were times that Derek would live for, when Stiles would subtly hint that he wanted Derek’s company, and the Alpha would come running. Like no kidding, screw the Camaro, Derek would _run_ to Stiles.

Like when Stiles was five months pregnant and he called Derek, distress entwined in his words. Derek took in his elevated heart levels and his choppy breathing and practically hung up on the teenager before Stiles could formulate a proper sentence. He was flying through Stiles’ open bedroom window less than 10 minutes later, fur sprouted and red eyes frantically scanning the room. Stiles barely had a chance to hide his tears from Derek before the Alpha was in his personal space, rubbing his nose and face alongside Stiles’ cheeks and neck in a desperate fashion to understand and soothe the teen’s cause for distress. _“Derek it’s fine. I’m okay,”_ Stiles had rushed to say, his words coming out in a weird amalgamation of a sob and a laugh. Nonetheless, he had tilted his head back to expose more of his neck, no doubt understanding that Derek’s wolf was freaking the fuck out that a fellow pack member was in potential danger.

It took him a few more minutes before he was able to reel his wolf back and address the teen who was by then calm himself. _“The way you sounded on the phone…I—I thought something was wrong. I didn’t….I didn’t know,”_ Derek had trailed off, trading his words for deep breaths of Stiles’ scent. “ _Hey, breathe big guy. It’s okay--we're both okay. I'm sorry for making you panic, Sourwolf.”_ Derek wasn’t satisfied until he turned the pregnant teen fully around, examining every inch of him. He even placed his ear against Stiles’ belly to hear the pup’s heartbeat. It was steady. The baby was probably sleeping. _“Then what was wrong?”_ Stiles had looked deep into Derek’s eyes for a few moments before he raised his soft, blue sweater. It had taken the wolf several seconds to figure out what the teen was worried about.

There on the growing mound of his belly were several faint, pink lines. Stretch marks. _“I'm hideous now. This baby is slowly ruining my body,” Stiles had moaned._ Derek remembered chuckling at the teen’s antics, laughing even harder when he was whacked behind the ear like a chastised dog. _“Stiles…your belly is expanding to accommodate the growth of a healthy baby. You have no idea how beautiful…this process is,”_ Derek finished quietly. _How beautiful you are._ That’s what he really wanted to say. But perhaps Stiles knew what was left unspoken, even though he said nothing. He had smiled at Derek like he was a light in a darkened tunnel though. Had placed Derek’s hands on his belly and all but melted into his touch. That was the first time that Derek got to place his hands on Stiles’ bare skin—to feel the pup moving beneath his palms. It would become a ritual of sorts for them. Whenever Stiles needed soothing, or the pup wouldn’t settle, Derek’s hands would be guided to Stiles’ belly.

Derek remembered when he was invited to dinner at the Stilinksi house, courtesy of the Sheriff. That man was wiser than most and always gave Derek a knowing look. At dinner, John had quietly slipped male carrier lamaze brochures onto the dinner table while they were tucking into hearty portions of Stiles’ specialty: baked chicken parmigiana. Stiles had raised an eyebrow at his father and shook his head. _“Appreciate the thought daddio, but those classes are pointless. Despite the fact that men can get pregnant, we can’t give birth the same way as pregnant females. There’s no point in learning breathing exercises if I’m going to get numbed and cut open.”_ Derek had to reign his wolf back at the thought that some stranger would be cutting open his Stiles. _“Yes son, I’m aware that you don’t possess a vagina, so natural vaginal births were never in your future. But lamaze class covers more than just the birthing process. You’re seven months along, Stiles. There is so much you need to learn. They'll cover third trimester topics including ways to make your body more comfortable as the baby grows, how to alleviate backaches, proper ways to sleep, pre and postpartum nutrition, and how to prepare and recover from cesarean section births.”_ In response to both his and Stiles’ inquisitive stares, John had sighed and said that he read the brochures beforehand. Stiles had smiled when Derek chimed in that it was a good idea. _“I’m glad you think so son, because you’ll be going with Stiles. Every Wednesday at 3pm,”_ said John with a smug look.

The man really was wise.

Derek never doubted for a second that John knew how he felt about Stiles. Maybe that had been his way of giving Derek his blessing. Either way Derek had wanted to buy the man a brand new car and an all expenses paid vacation to wherever he wanted to go. _“Don’t get me wrong Stiles: I’d love to go with you, but with all these double shifts…Derek would be the more reliable candidate. It just makes more sense for you to be with him,”_ John said. Derek had been afraid that Stiles would say no—that he would think it too awkward to go to lamaze classes with a man who wasn’t his child’s father. Thankfully, Stiles had quickly put the Alpha out of his misery, cheerfully agreeing, his molten whiskey eyes twinkling in excitement.

They had gone to their first session the following Wednesday, and Derek swore that his face was bright red the entire time. People had greeted them with warm smiles and referred to them as a couple. Looking back, Derek realized that Stiles had never corrected them. A fellow attendee who looked to be as far along as Stiles, had whispered in Stiles’ ear when he thought Derek couldn’t hear that their baby was going to be super cute. People asked the teen if he was having a boy or girl, single or multiples, what his food cravings were, and if Derek was the type to give good foot massages. The Alpha had stood close by to keep Stiles from being overwhelmed, but honesty it was Stiles that had ended up protecting _him_ from all of the lascivious gestures and comments from the pregnant men and women that obviously didn’t care that their mates were with them.

When the session started and the instructor told everyone to get comfortable on the floor, all of the couples immediately got into the same formation. The pregnant people sat reclining against the chest of their spouse who was seated behind them, and all hands were placed on protruding bellies. Derek remembered Stiles shyly smiling at him before he whispered to the Alpha to help him down to the ground. Derek remembered all of the oohs and ahhs that they got when he immediately swept Stiles off of his feet and lowered him gently to the ground. He also recalled all of the glares he got from the spouses who muttered that _he didn’t have to show off like that._ Derek had done his best to ignore everyone else around him as he took his place behind Stiles and placed his hands on Stiles’ hips. Derek damn near died when Stiles deftly repositioned his hands onto his belly and leaned against his chest.

This would mark the beginning of many future “touch my belly, Sourwolf" moments. At every lamaze session, when Derek first saw a sonogram image of the baby, and even moments when Stiles would think Derek was too tense because his eyebrows were doing a “thing" and needed to calm down. He’d find himself feeling soft taps from the baby and the heat of smooth skin because Stiles would usually pull his shirt up and present his belly to Derek like a present. Derek was so glad that Stiles got over his insecurity of stretch marks by that point. And it certainly helped that he’d rub cocoa butter onto Stiles skin whenever he got the chance.

Derek would never have the courage to say it out loud for fear of embarrassment, but he lived for the moments when he got to touch Stiles and the baby. Sometimes Derek would imagine that they were living in a different world where his family never burned in the fire, that he’d met Stiles and fallen madly in love. That he had made Stiles his mate and together they made the baby growing inside of Stiles’ body. That the baby was a Hale, a descendant of his mother Talia, the greatest Alpha the land had seen in the last two hundred years. And that Stiles would give him more children until one day they could sit back in old age and watch the family that they created grow older and expand further.

But then he’d remember that the world they lived in was a much crueler place. It was a world in which innocent people burned alive for simply being who they were born to be. A world where a kid would lose his mom at a young age to a terrible disease. A world where a beautiful, intelligent teenage kid would be used and discarded by an arrogant prick like yesterday’s garbage. And an innocent baby would grow up without experiencing the joys of having two parents.

Derek would fix the latter. There was no way that he would let this baby grow up without being showered in love constantly. Even if….even if Stiles didn’t want Derek in the same way that he craved Stiles, Derek hoped that he would still get to be a part of the pup’s life. There wasn’t anything that Derek wouldn’t do for the both of them. His pack felt the same way. He remembered having to hold them back from nearly ripping his head off when he had finally told them that Stiles was pregnant. They were already pissed at him for not letting them be around their elusive pack member. It hadn’t helped that they were aware that Stiles’ scent had changed, but they couldn’t figure out why until he told them. Derek had understood their plight. Knowing that they have a vulnerable pack member out there that they couldn’t scent regularly….that must have been wreaking havoc on their inner wolves. Even Boyd who was monosyllabic 99% of the time, had given Derek an earful one night after the Alpha had returned to the loft saturated in Stiles' scent.

_“Why won’t you let us see him?”_ Boyd said when him and the others had staged an intervention of sorts. They had cornered Derek before he could escape to his bedroom. He could tell that they were feeling angsty. He would have played off Boyd’s question nonchalantly, but he could tell that his second wouldn’t have it. _“He’s pack, Derek. We’re your pack. So what’s going on?”_

Isaac had chimed in, a little fidgety, but his words were solid. _“You smell like him constantly, but we never see him. It can’t be because of Scott, because if you smell like Stiles then he smells like you, and Scott’s too much of a dick to have one of his pack members smell like another Alpha. Does Stiles…does he not want to be around us?”_

Derek had sighed and faced his pack. _“It has nothing to do with any of you. Everything is…things are just complicated at the moment. I just don’t want to overwhelm Stiles right now. He wouldn’t be able to handle the stress.”_

Erica naturally wasn’t having any of that bullshit. _“What’s going on Derek? Come on, stop being so cryptic. Is Stiles sick? Is that why he smells different? And why would we stress him out? We all like Stiles and he likes us too,”_ she nearly whimpered.

Peter, being his usual self, had hung back from the others and was perched on the couch with a book in his hand. _“You might as well tell them nephew,”_ he’d simply said as he turned a page. _“Nothing says fun times like dealing with three angsty teenage wolves breathing down your neck.”_

Derek nearly growled at his uncle. He forgot that Peter would have been the only wolf to recognize that Stiles’ scent was laced with the sweet tinge of honey and daffodils—the scent of pregnancy. He tried not to dwell on the idea that the scent likely brought back memories for the older wolf of happier times when his own wife and child were alive. _“Yes, Stiles is pack. I am his Alpha. And as the Alpha I made the decision that the rest of the pack give him some space because he’s…pregnant,”_ the last word coming out in a rush of breath.

The questions had rushed in in a flurry after he spoke. He had to remember his patience as he answered that yes he was telling the truth and Stiles was really pregnant, no the baby was not Derek’s biologically, Stiles was seven months along, the baby was a boy….

The madness had ended when the packed pressured Derek into letting them hold a baby shower for Stiles in the loft. He had given them a month to plan it, and as the teenagers were super excited, everyone brought their A game. Even Peter had seemed motivated to help in the festivities when normally he was perfectly content to sit back and be his usual snarky, sarcastic self. No, everyone chipped in and made sure that the loft looked welcoming, and was nearly filled with balloons, presents, and good food. For once the space looked more like a home. And getting Stiles to leave his own home hadn’t proven to be much of a challenge. It seemed like at that point Stiles was happy to be out and about, even though he was told that they would only be going as far as to the loft. Derek remembered the way Stiles’ face had lit up when he’d told him that the rest of the pack would be there, and they were excited to see Stiles. Derek had wondered for a split second if he was wrong to keep the pack at a distance. He had just wanted to give Stiles his space to cope with the idea of being pregnant without feeling smothered by the pack. Derek had recognized immediately that he was wrong when Stiles, thrilled by the idea that his aloof pack members had thrown him a baby shower, had whacked Derek upside the head and given him instructions to never make decisions on his behalf again.

He was grateful that Stiles had taken everything in stride, and happily let the others scent him and touch his growing baby bump. Even Peter who had tried to hang back and be a silent observer for the benefit of Stiles’ comfort levels, couldn’t escape the joyous teenager. Stiles had marched right up to Peter, called him a creeper and then ordered that the older wolf scent him and speak to his unborn son. He had never seen his uncle happier to follow any commands before. Stiles was the true life of the party, sharing all of the moments the pack had missed, and Derek had sensed that whatever tension his pack had with him was absolved. Everyone had worn giant smiles on their faces, and truly enjoyed Stiles’ stories, including the one when he mistook trapped gas as early labor pains and had called Derek, only for the Alpha to show up with his pants inside out and his shirt on backwards for a false alarm. It was a great day spent, and after all of the food was eaten, presents were opened, and party games were played, everyone had cuddled around Stiles to watch a movie. It was a great time and the universe was finally coming together.

And then there was Scott.

Derek didn’t give two fucks about him, not anymore. The young man was free to do what he wanted, as long as he didn’t get in Derek’s way. But when he stormed into Stiles’ bedroom like he owned the place, and then callously commented that the then nine-month pregnant Stiles was fat….

Derek wanted to kill him.

He would have sliced open Scott’s throat, tear deep into the jugular vein. He would have watched his blood spray across Stiles’ bedroom walls like a new coat of paint. And right before Scott would take his final breath, Derek would make him watch the Alpha mark Stiles’ bump in streaks of red as tribute to the mother and pup he offended.

Yes, he would have killed Scott, had it not been for Stiles placing one of Derek’s hands on his belly in an effort to calm the Alpha down. It worked, as usual. The teenager fully believed that the pup was Derek’s kryptonite. It’s true that Derek was already head over heels for Stiles’ unborn pup, and that he was committed to being a pseudo-parent in any capacity that Stiles deemed fitting. But what got Derek to calm down or feel at ease wasn’t just the baby, but the act of Stiles wanting Derek to be close to _him_. That someone so beautiful and pure of heart would want Derek near with all the baggage he brings. That Stiles wasn’t afraid of his darkness. Derek knew that he was a-goner, so totally in love. He couldn’t be saved from the magnetic pull that was Stiles Stilinski. He didn’t want to be saved.

Especially when Stiles kept on surprising him, like when he had used magic to kick Scott’s sorry ass out his bedroom window. He should have known that there was more to the brunette than what met the eye. Derek had thought it was just the awkwardness of youth in combination with a lack of self and the path to one’s future. Like Stiles’ true self was trapped inside a shell, waiting to be freed. And maybe it was a bit of those as well, but now Derek will get to play researcher extraordinaire for a change while he figured out which magical creature Stiles had become.

Of course, his pondering had to be put on hold because the pup decided soon after Scott got the heave ho, that he wanted to see the world. Derek felt terrified as he rushed to the hospital, even though he had tried his best to be cool and calm for Stiles’ benefit. The teen had smelled overwhelmingly of fear, pain, and unshed tears. Even though Stiles’ state of being had to do with the fact that he was getting ready to give birth, Derek never wanted him to experience pain. His wolf wouldn’t allow it, whining restlessly beneath the surface. Derek tried to syphon as much as he could while he had raced towards the emergency room, but once they were in the hospital, the staff had made him let Stiles go.

_“No, I need him,”_ Stiles had moaned, reaching for Derek even as they placed him in a wheelchair and proceeded to wheel him into the ER.

_“Is he the baby’s father?”_ asked the nurse who was pushing the wheelchair.

_“No, but—”_ Stiles had begun before the nurse cut him off with a reserved look.

_“The delivery room is for family only. Your gentleman friend will have to wait outside in the waiting room until visiting hours commence.”_ She had a terse air about her, like she had made a judgment call regarding them both and determined that she would give them a hard time.

_“With all due respect Nurse, but Derek here is family. As am I,”_ said a voice behind the Alpha wolf. Luckily John had showed up at the right moment, and proudly flashed his badge at the shocked woman. _“And as I and my department have done plenty to serve this hospital and its staff throughout the years, I feel as though you can acquiesce to one small request, seeing as it has to do with my son and the birth of my grandchild,”_ said john, his own tone and glare leaving no room for argument. Hell hath no fury like a Sheriff scorned. Derek was positive that anyone who stood in John’s way would see the inside of a jail cell before their lunch break. The man was an Alpha in his own right.

Before Derek knew it, he was instructed to wash up and get dressed in dark green scrubs once they were brought to him. Once finished, he rushed back to Stiles’ side, who by then had been given an epidural and made to lay on the delivery bed. Derek had wanted to be on the side of the partition with the doctor that had been cutting Stiles open, both himself and his wolf needing the reassurance that the doctor wasn’t a moron and wasn’t hurting their mate further. But Stiles had grabbed at his hand as he moved to step away, his face pleading with Derek not to abandon him. _“Derek…Alpha, stay with me. I’m so scared, Alpha. Stay with me please,”_ he had begged, lashes soaked in tears.

_“Shhh calm down Stiles. Everything is going to be okay,”_ Derek had whispered to the teen after he swapped places with the Sheriff. He’d brushed away Stiles’ tears and placed a longer than needed kiss on the teen’s forehead. _“In just a little bit, your son is going to be born. This is the moment we prepared for, Stiles. You’re finally going to get to hold your son in your arms—finally look at the little terror that’s been playing soccer with your bladder,”_ the wolf joked, running his nose along the side of Stiles neck. Although the scenting was more for his own benefit, Stiles had come to expect the gesture over the last few months. _“You too,”_ Stiles had replied. _“You’ll get to hold him too—get to meet the pup who tapped out little SOS messages whenever you spoke to him or rubbed my belly.”_ Then Stiles had done something for the first time: he turned his head slightly and rubbed his cheek against Derek’s, placing a small, chaste kiss on the underside of his bearded chin. _“Yeah Stiles, I’ll hold him. Can’t wait to meet him. I hope he likes me,”_ Derek remembered saying, a genuine smile and feeling of anxiety washing over him.

_“What’s not to love, Sourwolf?”_

_“Okay Stiles, the incision was made. You’ll feel a little bit of pressure as we stretch the area, but then it will all be over soon,”_ the doctor had said through the partition. His father had also chimed in that Stiles was doing great, but at that moment the teen only had eyes for Derek. They’d stared at each other, breaths held, waiting for the telltale sign of new life. An eternity had passed. The only noise was the doctor whispering to the nurses, asking for various things as the procedure went on. And then it had happened: the cat-like mewl of a healthy baby taking his first breath.

Yup, the day Alexander was born was probably the best day Of Derek’s life. Seeing Stiles hold him, John, and then himself, was such a magical experience. Alex was so small and wrinkled, and he kind of looked like an old man, but he was perfect. And Derek continued to think he was perfect every time he’d “randomly” drop by during the weeks after Alex was brought home. He wasn’t sure why he tried to play off his visits as anything other than intentional. It wasn’t like Stiles was going to be mad at him or turn him away. John had already told him previously that he liked the idea of someone keeping his son company while he was off at work.

So when he showed up one night, and Stiles teased at how _surprised_ he was that Derek was in the neighborhood, the wolf didn’t even try to play it off. Besides as the full moon approached, he needed to be closer to Alex anyways, which he later explained when he revealed to Stiles that the baby was a born werewolf. There was always a 50/50 chance that Alex would be a wolf, but it was an unspoken thing that Stiles wanted the baby to be more like him than his biological father. Stiles had taken the news in stride though, just as he had when Derek used more words than he ever had in the last ten years combined to profess how in love he was with Stiles. How much he wanted to be in Alex’s life as his dad. How badly he wanted to be Stiles’ man. _“I love you, Stiles.”_ He thought he’d have to convince the teen a bit, especially after the hurt he’d endured after the Theo fiasco. But when he felt Stiles’ soft lips pressed against his eagerly, Derek knew that together they would build a life and find their own peace.

And it would last forever.

_“I love you too, Derek.”_

END.


End file.
